> It would be hypocritical for me to say that it’s foolish to want to prove yourself, because feeling like you are qualified and worthy deeply influences how yo

> It would be hypocritical for me to say that it’s foolish to want to prove yourself, because feeling like you are qualified and worthy deeply influences how you do what you do [...] Something I've been working on in myself is being happy with where I am and not always trying to prove myself to others. I used to be in a place where so much of what I did at work was an attempt to prove how smart and clever I was to others. (Don't get me wrong, I love solving problems on their own, but I also wanted others to see how capable I was.) It would bring me down when others didn't see the clever things that I came up with, or if I wasn't rewarded for the smart solutions. Ultimately, I started to realize that my "worthiness" shouldn't be determined based on what others believe. It sounds like the author isn't quite there themselves. Being "qualified" or "worthy" is a nebulous goal and always shifting as you become more successful. You'll never reach it and if you're relying on others to feel worthwhile, you'll constantly be disappointed. I think this is ultimately something you learn with age and experience. I was reading a book recently that put things in a way that made sense to me. What it said was that you ultimately have to take stock of your own values, those things that are important to you, and just work on those things. The external success (or praise) in your work is secondary and something you just don't have full control over. All you really have control in your life is the actions you take and how closely aligned they are to your own values. So, live your life virtuously by living in accord with your values and that should be the ultimate arbiter of success, and not whether you've "proven" yourself in the eyes of other people. It's easier said than done, of course, because praise feels so good.